LETHAL INTENT

In the fifteenth “case history” of Edinburgh’s toughest cop, Bob Skinner gets embroiled in a power struggle with the First Minister, an MI5 sting gone wrong, pursuit of Albanian terrorists, marital woes, and the abduction of colleagues’ children. As in the other books in the series, this one boasts strong characterization, irreverent humor, carefully convoluted plotting, and, of course, suspense. All these qualities are ably delivered by James Bryce, whose mature, masculine, listener-friendly voice suggests a robust pub life and whose handling of accents is thankfully transparent for us Yanks. His impersonations are particularly convincing and well differentiated, a good thing since the bulk of the plot develops through conversation. Y.R. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]